J is for
by Helen Faulkner
Summary: Linka is bored but thankfully a game is found that keeps her amused, at least for a while.


J is for…..

_Hey peeps, a little fun fic that popped into mind while I was bored. _

_Enjoy!_

_I don't own anything to do with the show; I'm just having fun with it._

* * *

Linka was bored!

The planeteers hadn't had a mission for weeks, there were no conferences to go to now that the academic term was in full swing and no celebrities or politicians had requested a public endorsement from the environmental group for ages.

Not that she minded about the last option, she had always hated being paraded in public so that some stuff shirt could fool the public that he or she was all for saving the environment while all the time printing millions of posters and banners or supping expensive coffee from paper cups which never quite made it to the recycling centre.

The Russian girl sighed, there had to be something to do around here.

In the last month she had read every book on the island, even Kwame's gardening books – not exactly booker prize literature!

She had watched every video, tried and given up on 13 different handicrafts, baked so many cakes and sweets that the others had eventually banned her from the kitchen, written a book, invented a board game… the list was endless but she was still bored.

To top it off her carrot topped muse was being oddly quiet, not flirting with her or trying to annoy her or attempting to play pranks… where was Wheeler anyway?

Sliding off the bed, the young woman quickly set about seeking her quarry, the fire planeteer would relieve her boredom!

She eventually found the young man in the common room, curled up on the sofa, nose in book – ooo that looked like a new one, maybe he'd let her borrow it when he was done – he barely reacted when she walked in, even when she practically jumped on top of him.

"Still bored huh?" he questioned without looking up from the text on the page

"Da!" the blonde replied pushing onto the red heads lap and making it impossible for him to read, he'd have to pay attention to her now.

Wheeler huffed; the plot was just getting good…. "Kwame brought the mail earlier, why don't you see if there is anything from your granmus…oof" the young man groaned as the wind planeteer leapt off his lap, only narrowly missing his groin in the process.

Linka quickly sorted through the handful of envelopes left on the dinner table earlier and sighed loudly, nothing for her….. Wait this looked interesting.

She pulled the long manila envelope from the pile and examined the address label "Mr J. W. Sloane?" she read half questioningly.

"I'll read it later… why don't you write a letter home, you gotta send them to receive them you know" the fire planeteer had returned to his book and was only half paying attention to his companion.

Linka tapped the envelope thoughtfully "What does the J stand for?" she asked wandering back to the sofa and settling beside the American.

"Hmmm… what?" Wheeler again looked up, focusing on the green eyes before him.

"J. W. Sloane…. What's the J for?" she repeated, curiosity sparked now, she'd always known Wheeler as Wheeler… this was new information, it was interesting.

Wheeler sighed and replaced his bookmark, setting the novel aside and giving the wind planeteer his full attention "Guess!" he challenged. Perhaps a little game would relieve the young woman's boredom just enough that she would leave him alone to his book.

"Hmm ok….John" he shook his head "Jack?" another shake "Jacob…. Job…Joshuah…" each time a negative response "Junior…?" Wheeler stuck out his tongue, clearly that was not only wrong but also repugnant to the youth.

"Ok… let me think… Jesse" another shake

"Jesse who?" Gi entered the room, wondering what her friends were talking about.

"Jesse no one, I'm trying to work out the J in J. Wheeler Sloane" Linka commented smiling at her Asian friend

"Ooo I love guessing games, what have you tried so far?" the water planeteer bobbed down beside the Russian who quickly filled her in.

"How about Jason?" Gi asked, receiving a head shake in return

"Jayce"

"Jackson"

"Jayden"

"Jay"

"James"

The girls took it in turns to guess but each time the red head quietly shook his head, keeping his face straight all the time.

"Is it a normal name?" Gi finally asked

"How do you mean normal?" Wheeler retorted

"Well you know, not a made up name, like when parents combine their names, or use a foreign word that describes their favourite food …or use the location of conception…" the Thai girl continued

"Oh I see. Yeah it's normal and by the way yuck, thanks for the image of my parents having sex"

Linka huffed "Well you wouldn't be here if they didn't Yankee"

"Yeah. Doesn't mean I want to think about it though" Wheeler stretched back "So are you still guessing or do you give up?" he asked.

"Guessing" both girls said in unison

"What are we guessing?" Kwame and Ma-ti also entered the common room, intent on seeking out some lunch.

"Wheeler's first name. It begins with J" Gi quickly filled the boys in on the game

"I see" Kwame smiled

"You two know!" Linka retorted, seeing the sly look the African passed to his South American friend.

"It is not a secret Linka. He just does not like it" Ma-ti smiled, it wasn't often he knew something that the girls didn't and he was enjoying the look on their faces.

"So what is it then?" the Russian asked.

"That would be telling. Besides I thought you wanted to guess" Kwame replied calmly, leaning on the kitchen counter.

"Da! Ok…" she gave the American a studious look as if trying to read the name from his mind "Jarred…Jasper…Jefferson…"

"Do I look like a president?" Wheeler retorted

"No but don't American's often name their children after presidents?" the Russian countered.

"Yeah I guess. Wanna a clue yet?" The red head asked, this had been fun at first but now it was getting tedious and he really wanted to get back to his book.

"Ok" Linka agreed, she was running out of J names anyway

"It can be used for a girl or boy" the fire planeteer offered.

"….A girl or a boy….hmmm …." Linka looked thoughtful

"I think I know" Gi offered.

Wheeler raised one eyebrow as if to say 'well what is it?'

The Asian girl carefully got up and approached her friend, bending down and whispering in his ear, then smiling as he nodded.

"I still do not know!" Linka pouted, this wasn't fun anymore.

"What do American's drink in the morning?" Gi prompted her friend

"A cup of …. Joe!" Linka brightened "Is that your name? Joseph or Joe for short"

"Wheeler looked for a minute like he was about to shake his head again but then suddenly smiled and raised both thumbs "Correct"

"Yay" Linka smiled, why hadn't she thought of that, it was an obvious J name, or at least more obvious than Jackson or Jefferson, of course this caused another question to pop into her mind "Why don't you like Joe?" she asked.

Wheeler sighed. It was going to be a long afternoon.


End file.
